Arnada Neighborhood Association

Zoning and Noise Ordinance Issues

Commercial Profitability versus Neighborhood Livability

As Vancouver is growing, business and residential areas are growing together. Residential homes are being converted to businesses; small quiet neighborhood businesses that were once open from 9-5, Monday-Friday are changing hands and being converted into businesses that are open 18 hours a day, some functioning 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some of theses businesses use loud machinery, employ many people, generate heavy traffic and create parking problems for surrounding homes. Additionally, heating and cooling systems used by both businesses and residents have created a night-time noise problem.

Over the past few months the Arnada Neighborhood members and neighbors have become increasingly aware of these problems because of their experiences with an Internet service provider who chose to use the 500 block of McLoughlin Boulevard for its major expansion in physical size, operation, hours, work force and parking needs. Our experience is not unique. This could happen to any neighborhood.

Unresponsive & Ineffective Codes

The City of Vancouver has been generally unresponsive and ineffective regarding complaints to noise from machines, music and late night business employee activities next to their homes. Clark County has adopted and enforces State Regulations (WAC 173-60) that addresses Maximum Environmental Noise Levels. The County is very responsive and protective of people's rights to a good quality of life and regards even a small increase in noise as significant. Even though we in Vancouver live in Clark County, we "can't" share county code. Vancouver abolished the State Codes (which are optional) in 1996 to cut expenses and responsibility. So here we are, in a period of rapid growth, unprotected, living in a county that affords protection.

You would think at least Zoning Ordinances would help and they do, in some areas of concern, while a development or conversion is taking place (new business). Afterwards, there are no controls governing hours of business, numbers of employees, parking, outside break and smoke area problems, noise, abutment and privacy problems with barriers, vehicle visits to the property day and night. Additionally there is no language in the zoning codes for the Residential classification that protects our homes from abutting business activity. Code Enforcement shows little concern when "only one" residence abuts a business and has problems with it. Every one home affected by any business should count, and when you add together all the homes that abut(or are near) a business, a potential business or a residential heating and cooling pump, that's a lot of citizens having their rights violated. Every time another business weakens the sanctity of our residential neighborhoods, the inappropriate precedent that has already been set is being strengthened.

Need to take Action

These problems (parking, noise, hours, standards, etc.) need to be addressed now so the city can take appropriate measures. We want the WAC's reinstated and adopted to their full benefit. We want the control of our environment out of the hands of commercial enterprises. We want to know, like in the good old days, our neighborhood businesses will be good neighbors and friends. We want the support of our City Government. The codes are reviewed for change every five years, and the year 2000 is one of those years. The best time for citizens to speak up for revisions to our outdated and inadequate standards is now, so they can be incorporated by this year's end.

CONTACTS
Work with your Neighborhood Associations and the Office of Neighborhoods on these problems. Contact the city council members and city managers - letters and e-mail are a very effective tool; and phone numbers and E-mail addresses can be found on the City's website at: http://www.ci.vancouver.wa.us. For more details on the issues, contact the Arnada board members.

Email us
http://www.ci.vancouver.wa.us